Frye describes the refurbishment process as follows: "For an anesthesia machine, we completely disassemble the machine and repaint it.
Anything that isn't perfect is replaced, whether it's a decal, pieces of plexi glass... so that everything looks and functions like new," he says.

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"There isn't a whole lot we can do because it's a life support piece of equipment," says Frye.

Why? According to Doctors Depot President Aaron Frye, if you donâ€™t treat each customer as if theyâ€™re your only client, then they will seek business elsewhere.

Successful Business Practices

To say that Frye came unto this business naturally would be a vast understatement.
The son of Eastern Anesthesia Service, Inc. (EAS) founder William Frye, Aaron Frye learned at a young age the inns and outs of the refurbished medical-equipment market.

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Fortunately, Frye was able to incorporate what he learned from his fatherâ€™s business into his own company â€" a fact that has served him extremely well.

â€œI worked with EAS for about five years before starting [my own business],â€ Frye reveals. â€œBeing a field tech for EAS, I saw a need for high-quality refurbished equipment that could compliment EASâ€™ service.â€ Enter: Doctors Depot.
By establishing a company that addressed the other side of the anesthesia market â€" selling the refurbished equipment â€" Frye could better meet the needs of customers.
Today, Doctors Depot and EAS enjoy a mutually beneficial partnership, which is built upon providing high-quality products and ensuring customers receive top-notch service. â€œTogether,â€ Frye says, â€œDoctors Depot and EAS provide a complete sales and service team for all of [customersâ€™] anesthesia equipment needs.â€

According to Frye, Doctors Depot focuses on supplying the highest-caliber refurbished or remanufactured anesthesia equipment from the following three manufacturers: Datascope, Datex-Ohmeda and North American Drager.
Also, to ensure that quality is always impeccable, Doctors Depotâ€™s highly skilled technicians complete all of the companyâ€™s remanufacturing or refurbishing in-house.
Plus, each technician has undergone training at Datascope, Datex-Ohmeda and North American Drager and boasts an average of 15 years of experience as a field technician.

But thatâ€™s not all, Frye remarks. â€œEach tech also participates in all aspects of the business,â€ he says. â€œWhether itâ€™s refurbishing an anesthesia machine or packing a monitor for shipping, our equipment never leaves a trained technicianâ€™s hands. [Also,] as new products are introduced to the market, our techs complete training schools for that equipment.â€ Not only does this ascertain that the products Doctors Depot sells are top-notch, it also serves as the ultimate model of quality assurance for customers.

However, what makes Doctors Depot truly unique, Frye says, is his level of personal involvement with his company.
Unlike corporations in which the top executives remain relatively hands-off, Frye maintains a hands-on approach. â€œI personally supervise the refurbishing process of every piece of equipment that goes out our doors,â€ Frye reveals. â€œI believe that this is important because no one cares more about the quality of the product than the owner of the business.â€ In fact, as further testament to his commitment to customer satisfaction, Frye only sells equipment that receives his seal of approval.

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Fortunately, Frye explains, the bias surrounding third-party providers is rapidly subsiding. â€œItâ€™s our opinion that these buying groups have become more comfortable with purchasing refurbished equipment from the top-quality dealers,â€ he asserts.

After all, in an economy where the phrase â€œdue more with lessâ€ is constantly echoing in hospital administrationsâ€™ ears, itâ€™s no surprise that the third-party option is becoming more attractive.
And itâ€™s not surprising that Doctors Depot is reaping the benefits of this economic situation. â€œThis year, Doctors Depot is on track for its fourth straight year of increased year-over-year sales,â€ Frye reveals. â€œWith the challenges of our economic downturn, itâ€™s very exciting for us to see this increase in sales.
I believe that our product is really catching on across the county.â€ In addition, he says, â€œOur customer base has grown substantially and, in turn, is increasing our repeat sales and referral business.â€

Frye also anticipates positive changes on the horizon for his company. â€œOur plans for the future of Doctors Depot are very exciting,â€ he asserts. â€œAs our sales grow, so do our ideas.â€ Although his company currently specializes in anesthesia machines and patient monitors from a selected group of manufacturers, Doctors Depot has plans to expand.
In fact, Frye says, he aspires to â€œadd a few specific products to our sales and services in the coming years.â€ In other words, stay tuned.

However, innovation is nothing new for Doctors Depot. â€œWeâ€™re always looking for new ideas that will compliment our current business,â€ Frye points out.
Prescribing to the old adage â€œIf youâ€™re not always growing, youâ€™re falling behind,â€ Frye strives to constantly propel his company forward. â€œWith that being said, our No.1 promise is to continue to build relationships with our customers,â€ he remarks.

Aaron Frye, owner of Doctors Depot, Inc., whose parent company has been in the anesthesiology equipment business for 43 years, said, "We sell GE, Datex-Ohmeda (GE), Datascope and Drager anesthesiology equipment to hospitals, surgical centers and plastic surgeons in the U.S. and Europe.

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"We've seen an increase, however, in medical professionals realizing that buying refurbished equipment offers such a savings over new-including a warranty-for about 40-50% less cost," Frye continued.